Packing Everything but the Kitchen Sink

I used to think that I overpacked for trips out of town.  Now that I’m a mom, I suddenly realize that the expression “packing everything but the kitchen sink” is really meant for parents.  On any given day leaving the house to go the grocery store can feel like you’re packing for a long weekend away.  You’ve got to leave with a diaper bag stocked with enough diapers, wipes, spit-up rags, binkies, binky cleaning wipes, nose cleaning wipes, socks, hats and extra outfits (for when the extra diapers don’t do their job) that a non-parent might swear that you were preparing to go on a walkabout in the outback with your baby.  Nope, it’s just a trip to Costco.

So then when you have to pack to go on an actual trip, a real bonafide journey… you really do pack everything but the kitchen sink.

Prior to our first trip to visit “L’s” grandparents I decided that it was going to be necessary for Grandma to supply the absolute essentials; playard with bassinet, diapers and wipes.  This way I wouldn’t have to figure out how to get these items on the plane and packed in our suitcase.  I soon realized that essentials stretch out to include things like bottles, breast milk storage bags, more binkies (you can never have enough binkies… ever, end of story), blankets, spit-up rags… the list goes on and on.  Packing all of these essential items in one suitcase that doesn’t weigh more than 50 pounds is absolutely impossible!

So on our most recent trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s I only had to pack a couple of outfits for “L” and chose to pack clothes for myself that I plan to leave at my parents house.  I figure the fewer things I have to pack for future trips, the better. It will leave me more room for the kitchen sink.

Tagged as: everything but the kitchen sink, over packing, packing baby stuff, packing for family vacations, packing kids